Nintendo’s famous bounty hunter is back
On a system that is technically the weakest, “Corruption” could prove that a few graphical tricks can still be squeezed out of Nintendo’s tiny white box. On a system that has so far faltered when delivering compelling first-person action experiences, “Corruption” could prove that the system excels at immersive first-person narratives. But most importantly, on the system with the most minigame collections and casual games marketed to soccer moms and grandparents, “Corruption” could prove that Nintendo is still dedicated to that loyal fanbase eager to sink its teeth into a more epic gaming adventure.
As the story continues to unfold we learn that six months have passed since the events of “Metroid Prime 2″ on the planet Aether. The Galactic Federation’s network of computers has been inexplicably infected, and the Federation has asked for assistance from several bounty hunters, including Samus Aran. It looks like Dark Samus has made her return from the grave, and she is corrupting several other alien worlds. Not only will Samus be able to pilot to these different worlds with her ship, but it now comes with a nifty new trick. Throughout the game there will be certain designated areas where Samus can call her ship, allowing her to refill weapons and energy or save the game.
The game opens with the famed female bounty hunter Samus seated in the cockpit of her ship. We felt immediately at home with the controls as we fiddled with the switches along the dash of her ship. “Corruption’s” controls are the most important element for Retro Studios to get right, and it looks like it has risen to the challenge. Looking around by pointing at the screen feels completely natural, making us wonder why games have struggled with this on the Wii before.
There is a new kind of targeting mode in “Corruption” called “lock-on free aiming.” In this mode, whenever Samus locks onto an enemy it becomes fixed to the center of her view - the focal point that she strafes around - but unlike previous lock-on features, Samus will still be free to shoot at anything within her field of vision. Of course, the more traditional targeting type will also be available.
“Corruption’s” most impressive feat, however, may be its graphics. It is certainly a tall order to expect any Wii game to compete graphically against the big boys on more powerful systems, but Retro Studios’ art team has done a masterful job with “Corruption.” The few levels we witnessed were gorgeous, and we don’t even feel the need to qualify that with “for a Wii game.” One area, called the sky tower, was particularly memorable.
It’s just a shame the Wii doesn’t support full HD, because “Corruption” is one of those rare Wii games that is actually worthy.
So do you still need any more proof? “Metroid Prime 3″ already looks to be the Wii game to get this summer, if not this year.
[Via - Macon.com]